Letter-box



(No Model!) E.;J. MITCHELL. LETTER BOX.

No. 400,244. Patented Mar, 26, 1889 H TT ' (No Model.) 2 sheets S'heet 2.

R. J. MITCHELL.

LETTER BOX.

Pagented Mar. 26, 1889-.

WITNESS 6.

'u, Pains m-uobgh w. wammm o c ROBERT J. MITCHELL,

OF SENECA, MISSOURI.

LETTER-BOX,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,244, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed July 11, 1888. Serial No. 279,651. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT J. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seneca, in the county of Newton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to mail and newspaper boxes for stores, offices, dwellings, and wherever mail packages, periodicals, &c., are frequently left.

The object of the invention is the provision of a receptacle that will automatically close the opening through which the mail or other matter is inserted, and which will sound an alarm when said opening is uncovered for the insertion of the matter, and which will at the same time disclose an indicatorto give a sightnotice that mail or other matter has been deposited in the box, the sight-notice remaining uncovered until the'mail or other matter is removed. The door through which access is had to the receptacle is connected with the shield that covers the sight-indicator, so that when said door is opened the shield will be operated and cover the said sight-indicator, which will remain covered until the door closing the mail-receiving opening is operated, when the sight-indicator will be uncovered. If a person should fail to hear the alarm, he can see at a glance whether any matter has been deposited in the box without having to unlock the box.

The box is designed to be placed in a conspicuous place, so that the sight-indicator may be conveniently observed.

The improvement consists of the peculiar construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and shown in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a mailbox embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side view, parts being broken away, showing the shield thrown down by full lines and up by dotted lines; Fig. 3, a top plan view having the top of the box removed; Fig. 4, a section about on the line X X of Fig. 3, showing the operation of the locking and lifting arms by dotted lines; Fig. 5, a detail view showing the manner of operating the shield from the door of the box. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the main arbor of the alarm mechanism, showing the crank-shaft connected therewith; Fig. 7, a detail side view of the alarm mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the normal position of the lifter and its operating-crank; and Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the crank touching the lifter by full lines and elevating the lifter by dotted lines.

The box A is of usual shape, having the dome-shaped cover, the opening a for the reception of the mail or other matter, and the door 0 for the removal of the contents of the box. The alarm mechanism B, of ordinary construction, is secured to the inner side of the box, and the main or winding arbor?) extends through the side of the box and is provided with the crank D, and its inner end is connected with and operates the crank-shaft E, that has its outer end journa'led in the side of the box opposite that to which the mechanism B is secured. The gong-bell F is supported on the rod f. The lifter G is hinged at its rear end to the box, and its front end is adapted to bear against the door H and hold it closed, and is connected with the said door by the connection h. When the lifter is thrown up, the door 1-1 will be released and opened to permit the insertion of the matter through the opening a. The lifter near its rear end is provided with an offset, which has the recess 6, which is designed to receive the crank-shaft E to hold the said lifter down against accidental displacement. The lifter is preferably composed of two arms, g g, that are united at their rear ends by'the wire g. The two arms g and the connection 9 are preferably formed of a single Wire. The arms g are bent near their front ends to form the eyes 9 in which the upper ends of the connections h are secured. The indicator-sign, which may be of any desired design, charac ter, or figure, is simply a placard, I, with the word Mail printed thereon, and is placed on the end of the box. The shield J for covering the indicator-sign, is mounted on the end of the rod K, which is jonrnaled in the side of the box, and is weighted or otherwise constructed to remain to one side and leave the indicator exposed when it (the said shield) is thrown down. The inner end of the rod K is bent up at right angles to form the arm 7a, (or the arm 7t maybea separate piece,) which arm is connected with the door 0 by the cord 70, and which is adapted to be struck by the bent end of the arm 71, connected with the door H to operate the said arm 7t for uncovering the indicator-sign. The weight k on the cord 70 prevents any slack in the said cord. The partition L separates the rear portion of the box from the front portion and prevents any matter placed in the box from interfering with the free workings of the crank-shaft E and the alarm mechanism. The partition I protects the arm is from interference with the deposited matter. The indicatonsign and the shield J are protected by the end M, which is provided with an opening, m, through which the indicator may be seen. This opening on is closed by glass to prevent wet and dirt from passing through it.

The opening a is closed by the door 11, which is held shut by the lifter G. To open the door H to deposit anything in the box, the crank D is turned nearly once around or until it strikes the stop (I. This mot-ion of the crank winds the alarm and turns the crankshaft E. If the indicator-sign is covered, the shield will be thrown to one side by the arm h engaging with the arm 7t; but if the indicator-sign is already exposed the arm h will move without eii'ecting any movement of any other part of the device. As the crank-shaft moves around it will engage with the lifter G and elevate it and open the door. When the matter is deposited, the crank is released, and is returned to its normal position by the unwinding of the alarm mechanism, the door closing at the same time and the lifter falling to lock the door. While the parts are assuming their normal position the alarm is sounding. \Vhen the door 0 is opened to remove the contents of the box, the shield is operated through the cord 7t and the arm 70 to cover the indicator-sign.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mail-box having an opening for the insertion of mail-matter, the combination of a door for closing the said opening, the device G, for holding the said door shut, and the alarm mechanism for operating the device G for disengaging it from the said door, substantially as described.

2. In a mail-box, the combination, with the door for closing the opening through which the mail is inserted, of the device G, for lock ing the door, the crank-shaft E, for operating and fastening the device G, and the alarm mechanism for moving the said crank-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a mail-box, the combination, with the door for closing the opening through which the mail is inserted, of the lifter connected with the said door and the alarm mechanism for operating the said lifter, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in a mail-box, of the door for closing the opening through which the mail is inserted, the lifter connected with the said door and. arranged to hold it shut, the crank-shaft constructed to operate the lifter and to fasten the lifter down, and the alarm mechanism for operating the said crankshaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the mail-box and the door for closing the opening through which the mail is inserted, of an indicator-sign, a shield for covering the said indicator-sign, the arm connected with the shield, and the arm connected with the said door and con structed to engage with and operate the arm connected with the shield when the said door is opened, substantially as described.

(3. In a mail-box, the combination of the door for closing the opening through which the mail is inserted, the indicator-sign, the shield for covering the indicator-sign, the arm connected with the shield and projected within the path of and operated from the door, the lifter for opening the door and the alarm mechanism, substantially and for the purpose described.

7. In a mailbox, the combination, with the indicator-sign and the shield for covering the indicator-sign, of the door and a connection between the said door and the said shield, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT J. MITCHELL. lVitnesses:

J. E. WETHERELL, I. W. 000K. 

